With retirement on the horizon, Senator Marc Gold reflects on his tenure in the Senate as a transformational period.

He believes that the increasingly independent and diverse chamber now better fulfills its constitutional role of sober second thought by focusing on serious legislative review through a more objective, less partisan lens.

Over the course of nearly nine years, Senator Gold has been driven to engage in political debate in a respectful manner – seeking compromise and common ground whenever possible.

“I tried my very best to to honour this place, and to promote its role and its legitimacy in the eyes of the Canadian public. To secure its future as a vital part of our parliamentary and constitutional democracy. And to demonstrate that a more independent and less partisan Senate can add value to the public policy process for the benefit of Canadians,” he said.

“It has been the privilege of my life to have served as a senator, and an honour to have been entrusted with the role of Government Representative in the Senate,” he said.

• Watch as senators pay tribute to Senator Gold in the Red Chamber

Currently, 84 per cent of senators have no ties to the Government or Opposition. There are now three non-partisan groups in the Senate, in addition to a couple of senators with no affiliation.

Independent senators can zero in on regional concerns, minority rights issues and considerations of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms without the pressures of the electoral cycle, Senator Gold said.

The Senate’s legislative record over the past decade speaks for itself: nearly a quarter of Government bills have become law with Senate improvements. Through both majority and minority parliaments, the Government has considered Senate proposals, and in many cases, accepted them.

“Independent senators have moved beyond rubberstamping to establish a more useful and productive record to Canadians. This represents complementarity at its best between the two chambers,” Senator Gold said. “The need to preserve, defend and foster an independent Senate is crucial to ensuring the institution continues to rebuild its credibility as a less partisan legislative body that substantially improves federal laws.”

Senator Gold’s approach to leadership is guided by his experience as a legal scholar, mediator, community leader and lifelong musician.

In his early days as Government Representative in the Senate, he was forced to adapt to the unprecedented challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic – working with his Senate colleagues to manage the passage of emergency legislation under lockdown orders. He later found agreement for hybrid Senate sittings for the first time in its history – allowing senators physically present in the chamber and those participating virtually to debate, ask questions and vote.

As the sitting schedule returned to normalcy in the 44^th Parliament, Senator Gold worked with all Senate groups to develop a comprehensive package of rule changes to reflect the reality of a more independent institution. Changes to the Rules of the Senate were adopted in the spring of 2024, helping to ensure greater equity in the day-to-day operations of the chamber.

THE NEXT CHAPTER

On June 30, 2025, Senator Gold will reach the mandatory age of retirement, and will be handing over the reins to a new Government Representative.

“I will miss the opportunity to be part of the continuing revitalization of this institution. It has been a privilege to have played a role in the historic transformation of the Senate,” he said.

Senator Gold’s next chapter includes a role as a visiting fellow at the Institute for the Study of Canada at McGill University. In the 2026 winter semester, he will teach a course entitled “Policy, Politics and the Legislative Process in Canada: A view from the inside,” exploring the interaction of policy, politics and the legislative process.

Having played music since his early years, he’s also pleased to have more time to play the guitar and sing – at home and onstage with his two Montreal-based bands, Hard Knocks and the Steamfitters. Not to mention a new band in the works in his hometown of Sutton, Quebec.

“I look forward to having more time to play music,” he said.

Without the commute back and forth to Parliament Hill, he’ll have more time to spend with his family. He plans to continue his goal of life-long learning – he and his wife, Nancy, have discussed the idea of taking a course together.

“I’m looking forward to new opportunities to learn and continue to grow.”